Medroxyprogesterone acetate

Generic name: Medroxyprogesterone acetate
Brand names: Depo-Provera  

Why is Medroxyprogesterone acetate prescribed?

Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection is given in the buttock or upper arm to prevent pregnancy. It is more than 99 percent effective; your chances of becoming pregnant during the first year of use are less than 1 in 100. The injection is given every 3 months (13 weeks) by your doctor. Depo-Provera works by preventing the release of hormones called gonadotropins from the pituitary gland in the brain. Without these hormones, the monthly release of an egg from the ovary cannot occur. If no egg is released, pregnancy is impossible. Depo-Provera also causes changes in the lining of the uterus that make pregnancy less likely even if an egg is released.

In higher doses, Depo-Provera is also used in the treatment of certain cancers including cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus) and kidney cancer.

Most important fact about Medroxyprogesterone acetate

Because Depo-Provera is a long-acting form of birth control, it will take a while for the effects of your last injection to wear off. In medical studies, only 68 percent of women became pregnant within 12 months after stopping Depo-Provera. However, within 18 months, 93 percent had become pregnant. If you think you will want to get pregnant shortly after you stop using birth control, Depo-Provera may not be the ideal method for you. The amount of time you use Depo-Provera does not affect the delay in becoming pregnant when you stop.

How should you take Medroxyprogesterone acetate?

Depo-Provera is given by a doctor. To make sure you are not pregnant when you receive your first injection, it is given only during the first 5 days after your menstrual period, when it is very unlikely that you could be pregnant. If you are breastfeeding, Depo-Provera is given 6 weeks after childbirth to reduce the infant's exposure to the drug through breast milk. If you are not breastfeeding, it is given within 5 days of childbirth.

Depo-Provera must be taken every 3 months (13 weeks), on schedule. Although the birth-control effects of the drug generally take time to wear off, there is still a possibility of becoming pregnant right away if you miss your scheduled injection.

--If you miss a dose...

If you allow more than 13 weeks to elapse before your next injection, your doctor will do a test to make sure you are not pregnant before giving you another injection.

--Storage instructions...

Depo-Provera is always given at a doctor's office or clinic, never at home.

What side effects may occur?

Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Depo-Provera.

By far, the most common side effect of Depo-Provera is unpredictable menstrual bleeding. In fact, most women have some change in their menstrual pattern. For example, when first taking Depo-Provera, it is common to have spotting between menstrual periods, or an increase or decrease in the amount of bleeding when menstrual periods occur. With continued use, many women stop ha ving their menstrual periods altogether.

By 12 months (or four injections), 55 percent of women report not having periods, and by 24 months, 68 percent no longer have periods. Going without a menstrual period is not an indication that something is wrong, however.

• More common side effects may include:
  Abdominal pain or discomfort, dizziness, headache, nervousness, unpredictable menstrual bleeding, weakness or fatigue, weight gain or loss

Why should Medroxyprogesterone acetate not be prescribed?

You should not use Depo-Provera if you know or suspect you are pregnant, or if you have unusual vaginal bleeding that has not been diagnosed by a doctor.

Also avoid Depo-Provera if you know or suspect you have breast cancer, or if you have liver disease.

Do not use this method of birth control if you have thrombophlebitis (inflammation of a vein with development of a blood clot), or have ever had any blood-clotting disorders, such as a stroke, or disease of the blood vessels in the brain.

You should not take Depo-Provera if you have ever had an allergic reaction to it or to any of its ingredients.